Aerosol-cooling element and arrangements for use with apparatus for heating a smokable material

Abstract

Aerosol-cooling elements for use with an apparatus for heating smokable material are disclosed. In one example, the element is a monolithic rod having first and second ends and has plural through holes extending between the first and second ends. Other arrangements are described.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An aerosol-cooling element for use with an apparatus for heating smokable material, the element being a monolithic rod having first and second ends and comprising plural through holes extending between the first and second ends, wherein the porosity of the element is in the range 60% to 75%. 
     
     
       2. An element according to  claim 1 , wherein the through holes extend substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the rod. 
     
     
       3. An element according to  claim 1 , wherein the through holes are arranged generally radially of the element when viewed in lateral cross-section. 
     
     
       4. An element according to  claim 1 , wherein the majority of the through holes have a hexagonal or generally hexagonal cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
       5. An element according to  claim 1 , wherein the element is substantially incompressible. 
     
     
       6. An element according to  claim 1 , wherein the element is formed of a ceramic material. 
     
     
       7. An element according to  claim 1 , wherein the element is formed of a polymer. 
     
     
       8. An element according to  claim 7 , wherein the element is formed of a thermoplastic polymer. 
     
     
       9. An element according to  claim 1 , wherein the element is formed of an extrudable plastics material. 
     
     
       10. An element according to  claim 1 , wherein the porosity of the element is around 69% to 70%. 
     
     
       11. A cooling assembly for use with an apparatus for heating smokable material, the cooling assembly comprising:
 an aerosol-cooling element according to  claim 1  for cooling volatilized smokable material; and 
 a tube at one end of the aerosol-cooling element. 
 
     
     
       12. A cooling assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein said tube is a hollow tube for providing a filtering function to filter volatilized smokable material. 
     
     
       13. A cooling assembly according to  claim 11 , comprising a second tube at the other end of the aerosol-cooling element. 
     
     
       14. A smoking article for use with an apparatus for heating smokable material, the smoking article comprising:
 smokable material; and 
 an aerosol-cooling element according to  claim 1  for cooling volatilized smokable material produced when the smokable material is heated. 
 
     
     
       15. A smoking article according to  claim 14 , comprising a spacer between the smokable material and the aerosol-cooling element. 
     
     
       16. A smoking article according to  claim 15 , wherein the spacer is a hollow spacer tube. 
     
     
       17. A smoking article according to  claim 14 , comprising a hollow mouth end tube at an end of the aerosol-cooling element. 
     
     
       18. A smoking article according to  claim 17 , wherein the mouth end tube is arranged to provide a filtering function to filter volatilized smokable material produced when the smokable material is heated.